CMS Extends Deadline for Medicare Part D Prescriber Enrollment to January 2019

Last Month, CMS announced that the full enforcement of the Medicare Part D prescriber enrollment requirement would be extended from February 1, 2017 to January 1, 2019. This decision was made in an effort to minimize the impact on its beneficiaries. CMS will however work on phasing in targeted enforcement of this regulation with additional safeguards to identify and eliminate possible vulnerabilities. The application process will also be updated to make it easier for providers to enroll in the Medicare program online for the purpose of prescribing Part D covered prescriptions. Although the effective date for enforcement of prescriber enrollment regulation is being extended, CMS will continue to encourage providers who prescribe Part D drugs and are not enrolled or opted out of Medicare to enroll in the program now.